Tim Hudson and Barry Zito facing off will happen Saturday

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) It will be Tim Hudson vs. Barry Zito on Saturday, just as much of the baseball-crazed Bay Area begged for in what could be the last hurrah for the two former Athletics pitchers.

A's manager Bob Melvin told Zito on Tuesday that he would start against Hudson and the San Francisco Giants on Saturday's game at the Coliseum. Zito, who spent the entire season with Triple-A Nashville before his callup last week, might be able to throw around 50 pitches in his first - and, perhaps, last - major league start this year.

Oakland plans to honor its former ''Big Three'' trio of Hudson, Zito and Mark Mulder in a pregame ceremony Saturday. They will throw out the ceremonial first pitches as a group on Sunday.